Reviews Archives – Page 4 of 6 – Parents with Passports

Alaska Galore Tours Review

September 13th, 2019admin0 Comments

We knew from the beginning that whale watching was our top priority in Juneau. We also knew that we wanted a small boat, which eliminated booking through Disney as their excursions averaged around 50 people per boat. We had 10 people, which was actually too many for some small private boats so I had to search around for just the right size tour. We also wanted to visit Mendenhall Glacier. With 10 hours of port time and whale watching tours typically lasting only 4-5 hours, we had plenty of time to add that on to our day. Figuring out how …

Chilkoot Charters and Tours Review

September 9th, 2019admin0 Comments

For our Skagway port day, we booked the Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion with Dogcart Experience with Chilkoot Charters & Tours. The excursion cost $235 for adults (13+) and $175 for kids (0-12). It included lunch, train tickets, dogcart ride, and pickup and drop-off at the dock. The tour was a full day, lasting 7.5 hours. The tour was offered at two different times – the “train first” excursion left at 7:30 am and the “bus first” excursion left at 9:15 am. We chose the “bus first”, both because we liked the later start time and because we figured that the …

Fairmont Vancouver Airport Review

September 1st, 2019admin0 Comments

Our cruise returned to port too late to catch a morning or early afternoon flight back to Charlotte. The remaining options were a red-eye departing late that night or a very early flight the next morning. We opted for the 6:00 am flight the next morning, which meant we had to figure out one more night in a Vancouver hotel. In deciding on a hotel location, we had to choose between convenience when disembarking the cruise or convenience when flying out the next morning. While the airport is relatively easy to get to from the city, it is probably not …

Pan Pacific Vancouver Review

August 31st, 2019admin0 Comments

I did a lot of research prior to our Alaskan cruise leaving from Vancouver, and there seemed to be an obsession among cruisers with staying at the Pan Pacific. And obsession is not an exaggeration. Every forum, board, and FaceBook group was filled with people touting the wonders of the Pan Pacific Vancouver. I tried not to play into the hype and kept an open mind while I thoroughly researched all hotels in the area. But after all my research and price comparisons, we ultimately we ended up at the Pan Pacific. When push came to shove, the convenience factor …

Zootastic Park

March 3rd, 2019admin0 Comments

While Charlotte lacks a major, accredited zoo, there is no shortage of privately owned and operated zoos / wildlife parks in the Charlotte area. We’ve been to Lazy 5 (multiple times), Zootastic Park, and Tiger World and enjoyed them all. When JB turned 9, we decided to celebrate with a unique experience instead of with a party. I know a few people who have done one of the Animal Encounters at Zootastic and raved about it. It sounded perfect for our animal lover. I will admit to having mixed feelings about private wildlife attractions. In most cases, the owners started …

Lakota Wolf Preserve

September 29th, 2018admin0 Comments

Located in Columbia, NJ, the Lakota Wolf Preserve is home to some two dozens animals, including wolves, bobcats, and foxes. Part wildlife sanctuary, part education center, the preserve offers tours twice a day at 10:30 and 4:00. Reservations are required for weekday tours but not weekend tours. The reservation process seemed a bit antiquated and overly complicated, but after a few back and forth phone calls we were able to reserve a morning tour on a Friday. Located on the property of the Camp Taylor Campground, the preserve sits on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Centuries ago, wolves …

SeaStreak Ferry

September 17th, 2018admin0 Comments

On all of our previous visits to NYC from Central NJ, we have taken the train. NJ Transit is easy and affordable. It is also incredible boring. It functions primarily as a commuter train system and therefore caters to commuters more than families or vacationers. Even when my kids were train-loving pre-schoolers, they didn’t enjoy the long and boring ride. The trip from Red Bank to New York Penn Station (not to be confused with Newark Penn Station, which is the stop right before and sounds pretty much the same on garbled train announcements), takes almost an hour and a …

Daufuskie Island

July 26th, 2018admin0 Comments

Visible from Harbour Town, Daufuskie Island sits across the Calibogue Sound from Hilton Head. It is an island with a fascinating history and an equally fascinating present. With no bridge connecting it to the mainland, it is a place where time has seemingly stood still. Golf carts and bicycles are the main mode of transportation. There is no hospital, no police, no grocery store. The small country store has a sign in the front window stating “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it!” Life is simple here by choice and its roughly 400 residents love it that way. …

May River Excursions – Bluffton, SC

July 18th, 2018admin0 Comments

During our most recent stay in Hilton Head, we decided that we wanted to visit Daufuskie Island. Visible from the Harbour Town Lighthouse, Daufuskie Island sits across the Calibogue Sound and is only accessible by boat. There are several ferry or water taxi options, but once we decided to take a tour through Tour Daufuskie, we were left with two choices: the Daufuskie Island Ferry or May River Excursions. The Daufuskie Island Ferry leaves from Buckingham Landing at the foot of the Hilton Head Bridge. (It is across the bridge so actually off the island.) Round-trip tickets cost $35 (children …

Harbour Town – Hilton Head, SC

July 17th, 2018admin0 Comments

Harbour Town has a little bit of everything – shops, restaurants, boats, water activities, a playground, a lighthouse, a golf course. There is something for everyone there. Over the years we have been there to eat, shop, play, and even take a super fun pirate cruise with Pirates of Hilton Head back when the boys were younger. Located in Sea Pines, one of the largest plantations on Hilton Head, Harbour Town is a top destination for visitors to Hilton Head. If you are not staying in Sea Pines, there is a fee to get in – as well as a long …